The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-11-23
- - -,tss5 a.ARTIN MAINE.
What some OF our Artists Have Done
and Are Doing.
Much Interest In Painting All over
the State.
Prominent Maine Painters and Their
SpeciaIties.

About two miles down the Saco river from
the railroad station at Bar Mills, in quiet,
story and half brick house situated just
without the din of cataract, at this point IN
the river known as Salmon Falls, PRESS
reporter found the home Of Mr.. Gibeon Brad
bury Ar. Bradbury devotes his whole time
to art, and was found at work upon a flower
study, the Rhodora, the subject having been
suggested by the following beautiful lines OIL
Emersons:
"In May. when sea-wnds pierced our sOlitudes,
/ found the fresh Rhodora in the woods,
Spreading its leafess blooms on damp nook
To please the dessert and the sluggish brook,
The purple petals, fallen IN the pool.
Made the black waters with their beauty gay
Here might the red-bird come his plumes 10 cool,
And count the flowers that cheaper MS array.
Rh0dorai II the sages ask thee why
This charm Is wasted on the marsh ana SKY,
Dear, tell that II eyes were uIade Tor seeing,
Then beauty Is its own excuse for being.
Why thou vert there, o rival Of the Tosei
never thought to ask; never knew;
But In my simple Ignorance suppose -,
The self same power that brought me there
brought you"
Mr.. Bradbury works in ell, painting
chiefly, wild flowers. 1t is doubtful If any
artist in the western part Of the State has
excelled, II he has equalled Mr.. Bradbury in
wild flower painting. OF course, like other
artists, he has failed In some works but In
others he has attained rare perfection.
His May-howers are May-aowers still only
they are on canvas. He excels in wild
flower painting although his LANDSCAPES pos
sess merit in no incondsiderable degree. He
sold his entire summers production Of 1886
to the wealthy ex-mayor Of the city Of Stock
ton, California, Mr.. r. b. Lane. California
forty-niner from this State. He began life
as a carriage painter at Saco. For a short
time, about the year 1860, he worked at the
decorative business in Portland, and board
cd with the Hon. William GoOld. Shortly
after he left Portland and settled at Salmon
Falls where he has lived ever since. lie
seldom leaves home to remain over night,
and does not visit Portland more than once
in three or four years. He Is conscientious
worker, loves his home and delights In
art. His wife is sister Of Paul Akers, the
sculptor, now deceased, and Charles Akers,
New York crayon portrait artist Mr;
Bradbury delights in gathering the wild
flowers that grow in the forests and mead
ows about his home, and then reproducing
them on canvas. He always paints from ma
ture; he never copies picture. Much OF
his best work, however, was done years ago,
and has been sold in the large cities Of other
States.
sAco AND BIDDEFoED.
The pioneer artist of Saco and Biddeford,
in fact of York county, in William Granger
who now resides at Saco. He Is an old
man and almost blind and for several years
has not painted picture; his Work as an
artist is done. Although he never received
an art education such as Is obtained In the
better schools Of today he is, nevertheless,
an artist OF considerable talent which, If it
had been properly cultivated, would, with
out doubt, have produced pictures that
would compare favorably with the work Of
our better artists of today. He worked in
oil and devoted the most OF his time to figure
painting always, If possible. from life. The
writer spent pleasant half hour In CONVEX
sation with him at his home. I'm painting
a portrait" said he. Il always hrst make
myself acquainted with my model. /
learned the subject of most interest TO the
person and proposed a conversation on that
topic. | was then enabled to see something
more than the bare features OF my model,
and when, at times, / caught glimpse OF
the inner person. and learned something OF
his soul and its sympathies, so TO
speak, put the expression which l could
then see upon the face on canvas and the re-
suit, if in degree successful. was generally
likeness more than superficial; there was
an inwardness about 1t, II l may use the
word, and it was possible to learn something
of the person by studying his portrait" Mr..
Granger is one one Of the best old school ar
lists in the State, and formerly his whole
time was given to painting. Many OF his
works may be seen in the homes OF the old
and weather. residents of SacO, and the pOr-
trait Of Abraham Lincoln in the City Hall
is one of Mr.. Granger slpaintings. eProbably
the best painting that ever came from his
easel and the one which has certainly at
tracted the most attention is "The Old Mill
tia Muster" which was sold years ago in
Boston. This painting, in which, certain
well known characters are lmmortallzed,
was, when painted, said to resemble the
works Of William Hogarth more than the
production of any other American artist
The vender of Beer OF pl and eaggsl Is
true to life and the gingerbread peddler Is
portrayed as he was often seen on the old
time muster field. The picture has
merited the praise which has been be-
slowed upon it.
Miss Granger, the daughter of Mr.. VIII
liam Granger, and Miss r. 5. Jordan rank
as the best artists in Saco. Miss Granger
paints flowers and portraits In oil, and Miss
Jordan, who has studied, and Is at present
teaching in Boston, paints mostly sun NE;
Miss Mary Goodale, whose studio Is located
In Boston, is a teacher and native Of Saco.
There are several lady artists of c0nsidera-
BILE talent in Biddeford. Miss +. M. Crosby,
Of Boston, is one Of them, and Is at present
teaching painting In Saco; she works both
in oil and water colors. Miss Emma Pills
bury, Miss Annie Perkins, Miss Angie New
comb, Miss Beman and Mrs. George StrSut
are the leading lady artists and Mr.. Frank
+. Graham, as crayon portrait artists. as
won considerable local reputation. The
interest taken In art at Saco and Bidde-
ford is not so greet or general as it was sew
eral years ago, but now that. the studios OF
the different teachers are opened to the
pupils the interest is reviving.
BANGOR.
Bangor has bred many good artists, and
has long been the rival Of Portland and per-
haps, at one time, possessed more talent and
was greater center Of art than our own
city. Bangor has at present an art associa-
tion, but the association holds no meetings
and gives no exhibitions; its paintings now
hang in the public library. The Ladies'
Decorative Art Association which tlourished
for time, was discontinued last December
and now there is no active art society In the
city. Nevertheless there are artists at work
in Bangor and many clever paintings are re-
ceived each year from their easels. The
Queen City prides herself on the talent
which she has produced, and well she may.
+. p. Vinton, Edward Simmons, Walter
Lansil and Miss /. j. Eaton, famous Boston
artists, are all natives OF Bangor. The most
interesting studio in the city, and perhaps In
the State, is that of Mr.. Hardy, the most
skillful oil portrait painter of the place, and
his daughter. Miss Annie Hardy, who is one
of the best flower painters in Maine. A brief
description Of the studio in which the two
artists spend their whole time may not be
out OF pl&ce. O0 entering buo NlSltOl mus
himself In large carpeted room, the walls
of which are covered with oil portraits,
flower studies and landscapes. The paint
ings on the wall are not all the works OF the
artists who occupy the cheerful studio.
There are three painted by Henry Bacon, one
by an unknown French artist, and several
copies Of Wardsworth, Thompson, and other
artists paintings. Several easels are located
in different parts Of the room, an ancient
cabinet clock. an oak book case, table con-
tanning photographs and books, and a num-
ber of chairs constitute the furniture. OF the
cosy studio. A cracking fire Of hard wood
sticks on the polished brass andirOn OF a
brick fireplace casts pleasant glow ON the
hearth and fills the room with radiance. In
the panels OF the black walnut mantle are
several works of art and over the fireplace,
in the centre, are the portraits of the duchess
of SAKE Weimer .Eisevach and her son,
painted by Lucas Kranaek, a German paint
er and engraver of the last part Of the fif-
teenth and the first part of the sixteenth CEN
turtles. The northerly end Of the room con-
tains a large window through which the
studio is chiefly lighted. Such is the studio
in which the writer found the two finest art
lists of Bangor at work. Mr.. Hardy devOtes
his whole time to painting and his daughter
keeps him company. Probably his best work
is ''rhe Fisher Boy" The picture is true
to life, the face Of the modest fisher boy Is
full of expression and the painting, as a
whole, has long been an object of praise.
Miss Annie Hardy teaches painting
part of the time and the rest she